CORTLAND, N.Y. — McNeil and Company National Carwash Program Specialist Mike Benmosche has some advice on how your wash can avoid incidents related to improper equipment maintenance, according to a CarWash Safety 101 with Mike Benmosche blog post.

*Pictures provided by SONNY's CarWash College

The images above show an example of what can happen when maintenance is not a regular part of your daily operations. If the vehicle had occupants, this incident could have resulted in serious injuries. Many operators claim to maintain their equipment, but they don't have a standard process in place.

These days, it is simple to have a written plan or checklist in place to standardize what needs to be maintained, how to perform the maintenance tasks and how to record the results. Many equipment manufacturers provide manuals and simple-to-use forms for this purpose.

The following are some ideas that may help you design a plan around theirs:

Identify the pieces of equipment that need to be maintained and determine their average lifespan. Design your schedule of maintenance around the determined time frame.

Be sure that all employees tasked with maintenance duties have access to the manuals applicable to each specific piece of carwash equipment.

When performing maintenance on some of the more common items (i.e., mitters, nozzles, hoses, etc.), it is often a good idea to replace them all simultaneously.

Keep your maintenance log in a convenient and easily accessible location. Something as easy as a composition book hanging on each piece of equipment will work.

Categorize items by daily, monthly and annual service checks. This will create an easy-to-follow schedule of maintenance for all of your equipment. Again, your manufacturer can be very helpful in this process.

Maintenance extends to all activities that help create a safe and effective work environment. It is crucial to include checklists for housekeeping, damage to equipment or buildings, cleaning walkways and driving surfaces, and other similar tasks.

Keep an eye on all electrical items when doing a daily visual inspection. Anything that appears out of line should be reported to a licensed electrician immediately. Again, be sure to record all service work.

Consistent and regular maintenance will help ensure that your equipment will safely perform the jobs it is designed for. Well-maintained equipment and a safe work environment help prevent bodily injuries, property damage and destruction to customer’s property. It can also keep your equipment running at peak performance. All of this equates to big savings for your business that goes directly to your bottom line.

If you already have a program in place, be sure to review procedures periodically to ensure you have addressed any changes brought about by new equipment or processes. If you don’t have a current plan in place, get one now.

If you are starting to formally define your maintenance and operational processes, it would be a perfect time to also review how a software solution can help. Software solutions can be great at highlighting areas that are not getting proper attention (maintenance, repairs, training checklists, etc.). This is especially helpful when running multiple sites.